Tuesday, November 24, 2015

I have a feeling I’m
going to regret writing this but, I actually agree with a
statement retired neurosurgeon and
current GOP candidate for president, Ben Carson, made in late September.While speaking to a small group of black
leaders and activists, Carson said blacks can leverage more power through their bank accounts
than by putting their “fist in the air.”

Let’s be clear, I’m no Carson supporter. As Goldie Taylor
with the Daily Beast noted,
I’m among that group of blacks who find the Republican “brand” and many of its
platforms “toxic” and “antagonistic.” Besides, the brilliant surgeon has said quite
a few not-so-brilliant things like comparing Obamacare to slavery; saying Jews with
guns could have prevented the Holocaust and Muslims should be disqualified from seeking the presidency.
Pretty wacky stuff, however, when it comes to the empowerment of black people,
Carson’s on point. No matter what
happens in politics, through legislation or the courageous acts of diverse, engaged
and benevolent people, its incumbent upon black folk to adopt and pursue a “do-for-self”
agenda for the survival and positive advancement of our young, our
neighborhoods and our futures.

Carson was right when he told black leaders; “Jewish
America understands it. Korean America understands it. Black America, if they
could understand it, they could blow everybody else out of the water.”

The “IT” is economic empowerment and no one can gift that
to black people. We have to understand-like every other hyphenated American group-Jewish-Americans,
Italian-Americans, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, etc., that we must build
our own systems within established systems for our collective survival. Other
ethnicities, hesitant to solely rely on government structures, build and
support their own educational, business and political “systems.” They make sure
that their culture, history and unique interests are intertwined with their businesses, politics and children’s
education. They work to ensure self-reliance and economic, social and religious independence.

From the days of slavery, throughout the Jim Crow
era and into early 1970s, blacks had no choice but challenge a system that purposely
excluded them. Integration and equality was the rallying cry for “freedom.”
Prior to the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, however, blacks had
no choice but do-for-self. As a result, they established their own educational
systems, political self-interest groups and businesses within the communities where
they were legally or forcefully restricted. Unfortunately, when “opportunity”
was defined by the privilege to live in white neighborhoods, attend white
schools or work for white-owned businesses, many blacks abandoned their
neighborhoods and the businesses that sustained and protected them for decades.

Back in August, in preparation for a public library
discussion on “Racial
Justice in a Post-Ferguson World,” I wrote an essay
titled “Economic Justice: The Missing Piece in Achieving RacialJustice.”The gist of the piece
was to show how so-called remedies for blacks oftentimes served systems created
to benefit whites; School districts profited from busing poor, black city kids
to white suburban schools; Affirmative Action benefits mostly white women; entitlements
and food stamps created new revenue streams for major white-owned grocers and retailers
and on and on.

We cannot blame ourselves for having to fight systems
established on the artificial premise of white superiority but, at some point,
we have to realize the damage in solely relying on them to propel our collective
interests. One of the biggest tragedies of Obama’s legacy is that black leaders
failed to dissect his initiatives, develop and articulate an agenda of
self-sufficiency backed by federal assistance. I know it may sound hypocritical
but the operative words are “backed” or supported; efforts that lead to self-sufficient
black communities that are not solely reliant on government support.

For example, the program I co-founded in 2012, the Sweet Potato Project, was inspired in part by a federal proposal. In 2010, the Obama Administration announced the $400million Healthy Food Financing Initiative, aimed at eliminating “food deserts” and
enticing food retailers into business partnerships with under-served urban and
rural communities.Back then, as today, I see the “locally-grown food”
movement as a viable way to empower low-income communities for the long term. We
provide “at-risk” teens with a summer job to grow food on vacant lots. We teach
them how to package, market and sell produce and food products.

Why not expand
the concept? We all eat, right? Why not get vacant land into the hands of the
impoverished and have them grow healthy food that can be purchased by major
grocers? Why not have North St. Louis landowners grow food that can be sold at
farmers markets and turned into a product line of quality food products that
any and everyone can purchase? It’s basic, sustainable; good for troubled neighborhoods
and can spin off into dozens of other housing and business ventures.

Carson insists that he’s not trying to get rid of “safety net programs” but create environments
where entitlement programs won’t be needed. Creating mechanisms that help
people rise out of states of “dependency” is the goal, the good doctor maintains.
It's not that I doubt his motives; it’s that I don’t trust his affiliation with
a Party known for its stubborn reliance on negative stereotypes to dismantle such
programs.

Maybe we have traveled a path outside our control to get
to this point, but the fact remains that we have turned our neighborhoods and
our children over to broken systems-educational, political and economic-that were
not designed for our collective uplift. Challenge injustice-yes; Raise your
fists; raise your voices-yes! But we must also raise our awareness to match
modern day realities. Most whites believe that we’ve overcome racism and as a
recent poll indicated, the majority believes they are the victims of discrimination.

There will be no political knight in shining armor; there
will be no groundswell of liberal “saviors” who will carve out a path of
self-sufficiency for black people. In a way, we have to go back to go forward.
We have to re-adopt the mindset of “do-for-self” with as much help as possible.
It’s not radical or revolutionary. As Carson reminded us; it’s what every other
ethnicity deems necessary. Sylvester Brown, Jr. is a former columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and current director of the Sweet Potato Project, a St. Louis initiative that teaches entrepreneurial skills to urban youth.

On September 9th, the Central Library hosted a panel discussion on “Racial Justice in a Post-Ferguson World.” This essay was written in an anticipation of that eventAug. 31, 2015

I’m looking forward to what my fellow panelists will say, but I welcome the opportunity to discuss a topic that’s been heavy on my mind. You see, my biggest fear is that remedies to racial injustice in 2015 won’t be much different than those offered more than 50 years ago. We will probably discuss ideas already out there, such as municipalities that target poor blacks for monetary gain, police training and accountability, jobs for adults and black youth, and creating more charter schools. However, I feel that very few of these reform efforts by, no doubt, well-meaning people will address what I deem the real remedy to injustice: economic empowerment.

Centuries of societal and institutionalized racism were the targets of change back in the day. However, the onus for “justice” was placed on the shoulders of white people, some who actually benefited economically. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 allowed blacks access to restaurants, theaters, sports arenas, and hotels. But that also meant whites had new, untapped revenue streams. Public housing programs were a huge boon for white construction workers. Government entitlement programs, by sheer numbers alone, helped more poor whites than poor blacks. Additionally, it provided more customers every month for white-owned grocers.

Due to the inane belief that black kids would learn better if they only attended schools with white kids, forced busing was enacted across the country. Underfunded public schools suffered as taxpayer dollars were diverted to white, mostly suburban schools. Lastly, according to the United States Labor Department, white women (ergo white families) have been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action programs.

Let’s be clear, as I’m not talking about reparations for past racial atrocities. That idea was declared dead-on-arrival decades ago. Many liberals and conservatives alike have a particular section of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech memorized. Reaching a form of racial utopia together is more palatable than actually giving black people money to help themselves. King spoke to this attitude in 1963: “Whenever the issue of compensatory treatment for the Negro is raised, some of our friends recoil in horror. The Negro should be granted equality, they agree; but he should ask nothing more.”

How do we bring about “racial justice in a post-Ferguson world?” I’m looking forward to the upcoming panel discussion. Personally, I want to elaborate on my staunch belief that there will be no “racial justice” in the region until we first discuss unique and collaborative ways to empower black folk-young and older-to rise above historic economic injustice.

I contend that asking more, demanding “economic justice,” is the major force to empower black people. This too is based on the words of Dr. King. In a 1965 Playboy magazine interview with legendary writer, Alex Haley, King talked about a $50 billion government employment program that would help some “20,000,000 Negroes” and other poor Americans. Since most blacks live in metropolitan areas, King theorized that a massive, dignified effort to help black people rebuild disadvantaged areas of the country would lead to “a spectacular decline in school dropouts, family breakups, crime rates, illegitimacy, swollen relief rolls, rioting, and other social evils.”

It’s important to note that King said his idea would ensure “Negroes” would stay and rebuild their own neighborhoods. In 50-year retrospective, we now understand that passage of landmark Civil Rights legislation actually led to blacks abandoning their neighborhoods. Whether they were shoved out due to redevelopment or left willingly seeking opportunities in virgin territories, “white flight” of residents and business-owners guaranteed that unwelcomed blacks would be locked in pockets of poverty throughout the St. Louis region.

As political and civic leaders talk of reform in a post-Ferguson world, they are also seeking billions in taxpayer money to build a new football stadium, help an already rich developer renovate North St. Louis, and entice more big businesses into the region. These aren’t necessarily bad ideas, but it’s a pretty sure bet that whites will once again gain economically, and the trickle down effects of their booty won’t empower poor blacks in the region.

Sylvester Brown, Jr. is a former columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and current director of the Sweet Potato Project, a St. Louis initiative that teaches entrepreneurial skills to urban youth.

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About Me

Born and raised in St. Louis. In 1987 started Take Five Magazine, a pro-active, community-based, investigative publication. Operated for 15 years. Hired as Metro columnist with the St. Louis Post Dispatch in 2002. Brought Bill Cosby to town, debated Bill O'Reilly and wrote a column that saved a baby's life. After leaving the Post-Dispatch in 2009, started working with SmileyBooks as a consultant and writing contributor. Founded When We Dream Together, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing urban communities in 2011. In 2012, began "The Sweet Potato Project," a summer program aimed at teaching "at-risk" youth entrepreneurial skills. Students planted sweet potatoes that they turned into a viable, marketable product-a sweet potato cookie. Currently running both nonprofits, working as a freelance writer and consultant and about to enter the self-publishing arena.

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Commentary on this blog represents my views and opinions only. All items are subjective, except where specified and/or stated otherwise. Videos, clips, quotes, statements, etc., are included for emphasis, clarification, verification or as follow-up sources for particular subjects and issues. Usage of this material does not imply, express or emphasis any other views other than what is implied in the blog posting. There is no connection between this site and any other site, organization, company or publication of a similar name or previous association. -- Sylvester Brown.